Where to meet Australia's cutest animals

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Where to meet Australia's cutest animals

Want to grab a selfie with a koala, kangaroo, Tasmanian devil or quokka? Have you always wanted to play with an elusive platypus? It's easy to meet Australia's cutest animals in the wild and in wildlife sanctuaries.

Come face to face with Australia's wildlife

HEAD WEST TO MEET A QUOKKA

Koalas and kangaroos might grab more attention, but many people think Rottnest Island’s adorable quokkas are the country's cutest animals. Quokkas are miniature wallabies, about the size of a domestic cat. Rottnest can thank the quokka for its name: a Dutch explorer thought the animals were rats, and gave the island, a 90 minute ferry ride from Perth, a name that means rats’ nest. The best time of day to see these nocturnal marsupials is mid to late afternoon – take one of the free daily quokka guided walks.

CUDDLE A KOALA

Some Australian states prohibit koala cuddles, but they are allowed at Queensland's Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, on the Gold Coast. The 20 minute sessions in the koala enclosure allow time to take photos with koalas, followed by a cuddle. The sanctuary is home to 54 koalas, as well as a hospital that treats more than 250 sick and injured koalas from the region each year.

TICKLE A PLATYPUS OR PAT AN ECHIDNA

Platypuses are notoriously shy, but at Healesville Zoo, in the Yarra Valley, north-east of Melbourne, it's possible to tickle this elusive national icon, which appears on the Australian 20 cent coin. Step into a pair of waders and into the platypus play pool to frolic with one of these freshwater-dwelling creatures, which are difficult to spot in the wild. This special animal experience, which debuted in 2013, is a world first and available to only 10 zoo visitors a week. The sanctuary also offers an encounter with adorable echidnas – the spiky little animals that star on Australia's 5 cent coins.

MEET AUSTRALIA'S FRIENDLIEST DOLPHINS

As an island nation, Australia offers an abundance of dolphin experiences. One of the most accessible is found on Moreton Island off Brisbane. Out the front of Tangalooma Island Resort wild bottlenose dolphins will glide right up into the shallows to receive a fish from your hands. At Monkey Mia, 850 kilometres (530 miles) north of Perth, bottlenose dolphins swim into knee-deep water, where visitors can hand feed them under supervision.

COME ACROSS A GRAZING KANGAROO

On North Stradbroke Island – known as Straddie – just off Brisbane, there are plenty of opportunities to spot kangaroos. At Point Lookout, grazing kangaroos are a common sight in the ocean-facing parks. Feel free to take snaps as they nibble their way across the grass. Kangaroos are also commonplace on the New South Wales South Coast, at Pretty Beach and Pebbly Beach within Murramarang National Park, 210 kilometres (130 miles) south of Sydney.

WANDER WITH WOMBATS

At Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley, a conservation resort tucked into a remote fold beyond the Blue Mountains west of Sydney, wombats freely wander around the 2800 hectare (7000 acre) property, nibbling at the grass. Grab a bicycle and explore the grounds, which are especially stunning early in the morning and at dusk.

COME FACE TO FACE WITH A DEVIL

If you're driving around Tasmania it's possible to glimpse Tasmanian devils scampering near the roads (they feed on roadkill). but, for a guaranteed encounter, head to Devils@Cradle, an 80 minute drive from Burnie in the state's north-west. Take a Day Keeper Tour, an After Dark Feeding Tour or Dine with the Devil. Closer to Hobart is Tasmanian Devil Unzoo, which offers a Devil Tracker Experience – a 4WD tour on which you help track the devils' movements.

WALK AMONG SEA LIONS

On South Australia's Kangaroo Island visitors can stroll among the Australian sea lions that come to sunbathe on the sands of Seal Bay on the island's southern coastline. A 45 minute guided tour heads from the boardwalk through the sand dunes down to the beach. The Twilight Beach Tour allows 12 participants to roam for up to two hours among the creatures.

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Australia's unique animals are a major drawcard for international visitors; and many zoos in Australia are among the world's best. Australia has both public and private zoos. Some Australian zoos showcase exotic species such as big cats and elephants; while others focus on Australian native animals and birds. Zoos and wildlife sanctuaries in Australia undertake vital environmental education and research for the conservation of endangered animals. Many zoos in Australia hold special events, 'behind the scenes' tours and overnight stays which include close encounters with the animals. Here is where to see koalas, kangaroos, wombats and Australia's other amazing animals.
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